THEMES & ESSAY TOPICS TO CONSIDER
THEME 1: RELATIONSHIP OF STRUCTURE TO FUNCTION
-Can also be addressed in context of evolutionary adaptations
-Examples of Structure Function Relationships are:
Topic
Structure
Function
Relationship
Biomolecules
& Cells
Plants
Animals
Energetics
Cellulose is made up of
long polymers of glucose
twisted around each other
DNA has complementary
base pairs that hydrogen
bond to each other
Leaves have high surface
area
Gills with capillaries that
run opposite to direction
of water flow
Mitochondria has two
membranes
Cell wall in
plants
Strong twisted structure allows for strength in
maintaining the cell wall
Carries genetic
information
Complementary bases are able to match together
to form specific pairings that result in codonanticodon interactions.
High surface area allows a maximum amount of
sunlight to be captured.
Counter-current exchange allows for the highest
possible amount of oxygen to be taken into the
blood.
Double membrane allows for an innerspace to be
made which allows for the buildup of H+ ions. It is
this proton gradient that drives the ATP synthase.
Capture light
energy
Gas exchange
ATP Synthesis
THEME 2: COMPARE-CONTRAST
-Can also be addressed in context of evolutionary adaptations
-Examples of items that might be compared and contrasted:







prokaryotic vs. eukaryotic cells
land vs. water plants
DNA vs. RNA
carbohydrates vs. lipids
amphibians vs. reptiles
ectotherms vs. homeotherms
herbivores vs. carnivores





meiosis vs. mitosis
plant vs. animal cells
carbohydrates vs. lipids
glucagon vs. insulin
sympathetic vs. parasympathetic nervous
systems
THEME 3: ECOLOGY, ENERGY TRANSFER, AND INTERACTIONS BETWEEN
ORGANISMS
-Examples of items that might be addressed in this theme include:





Mutualism: Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in roots of legumes (pea and bean plants). Bacteria use sugars
produced by plants while bacteria provide plants with source of ammonium.
Parasitism: Bacterial diseases.
Commensalism: Bacteria on human skin. Bacteria receive a habitat and food (scales of skin and dead
tissue), but there is no positive or negative effect on human.
Trophic levels and energy transfer: Energy is lost as you go up to higher trophic levels.
Coevolution: Flowering plants and pollinating animals (eg. bees) are an example of two species that
coevolve.
THEME 4: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE
-Examples of items that might be addressed for continuity:





How does mitosis demonstrate continuity?
What mechanisms does a cell use to prevent mutations?
What are examples of asexual reproduction?
How is an enzyme specific for its substrate?
What are some mechanisms by which a land plant survives with a limited water supply?
-Examples of items that might be addressed for change:





How does meiosis promote diversity?
What role does a mutation have in evolution?
What mechanisms cause evolution?
How does sexual reproduction differ in plants and animals?
How does the human immune system respond to such a wide variety of antigens?
THEME 5: REGULATION
-Examples of ways plants regulate themselves in:





Flowering (photoperiodism)
Gravitropism
Phototropism
Fruit Development
Growth
-Examples of ways animals regulate themselves in:




Maintaining body temperature
Blood glucose levels (glucagon and insulin)
Water balance
Reproductive Cycles (female and male)
KRIEGER'S PREDICTED ESSAYS
1) LAB QUESTION ON ENZYMES/PH/TEMP EFFECTS
After an enzyme is mixed with its substrate, the amount of product formed is determined at 10-second intervals for
1 minute. Data from this experiment are shown below.
Time (sec)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Product formed (mg)
0.0
0.25
0.50
0.70
0.80
0.85
0.85
Draw a graph of these data and answer the following questions.
a. What is the initial rate of this enzymatic reaction?
b. What is the rate after 50 seconds? Why is it different from the initial rate?
c. What would be the effect on product formation if the enzyme were heated to a temperature of 100C for
10 minutes before repeating the experiment? Why?
d. How might altering the substrate concentration affect the rate of the reaction? Why?
e. How might altering the pH affect the rate of reaction? Why?
SECOND GUESS: Lab question on Cellular Respiration Lab
THIRD GUESS: Lab question on Transpiration Lab
FOURTH GUESS: Lab question on Hardy Weinberg Lab
2) QUESTION ON COMMUNICATION IN ORGANISMS - ESPECIALLY ANIMALS
Communication between and within cells is used by organisms to adapt to various changes in the environment
and/or the organism itself. Choose three of the following changes and for each, describe the organism's response
to this change and how communication between cells results in a response by the organism. Be sure to explain the
organism's response.
a. A fertilized egg implants into the endometrium.
b. A decrease in blood glucose concentration
c. A virus infects a cell.
d. A drop in blood pressure
e. A plant's water supply becomes low
3. QUESTION ON EVOLUTION AND ORGANISM INTERACTIONS
Evolution is one of the major unifying themes of modern biology.
a. Explain the mechanisms that lead to evolutionary change.
b. Describe how the following examples demonstrate evidence for evolution
i. Cyptic coloration
ii. Muellerian mimicry
iii. Vestigial structures
iv. myccorhizae
4) MOLECULAR QUESTION ON DNA REPLICATION/GENES/PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
All organisms use DNA to store information to synthesize proteins.
a) Explain how the structure of DNA is an effective molecule of inheritance.
b) Explain the role of RNA in the process of protein synthesis.
c) Compare and contrast the process of protein synthesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
DON'T FORGET TO READ THE "ANSWERING THE FREE
RESPONSE QUESTIONS" HANDOUT!